Bitch Media - children's bookshttp://bitchmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/10878/0
enEnd of Gender: Reading List for the Genderpocalypsehttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/end-of-gender-reading-list-for-the-genderpocalypse-books-feminism
<p>If you've learned anything from zombie flicks, you know that when the end is near, it's time to prepare. And it's probably a good time to catch up on all of that reading you've been putting off.</p>
<p>Below, you'll find a reading list to prepare you for the genderpocalypse. Stock up on freeze-dried food, stick your nose in a book, and brace yourself.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fiction:</span>&nbsp;<em>Kafka On the Shore </em>(2006)&nbsp;by Haruki Murakami&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><em>Kafka On The Shore</em> follows Kafka Tamura, "the world's toughest fifteen-year-old," on a wild ride through small towns and surprising romances, introducing gender-bending characters along the way.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Memoir</span>:&nbsp;<em>Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels</em>&nbsp;by Justin Vivian Bond (2011)</strong></p>
<p>Singer, songwriter, and cabaret performer Justin Vivian Bond recounts undiagnosed ADD, secret trysts with the bully next door, and straddling the gender divide as a transgender child.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Non-fiction</span>:&nbsp;<em>Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference </em>(2011)&nbsp;by Cordelia Fine</strong></p>
<p>This is the book you wish you'd read in high school biology. Drawing on the latest "research" on gender and the brain, Fine debunks <a href="/post/end-of-gender-hard-wired-debate-biology-sex-science-feminism">myths about hard-wired gender</a>, showing us how "science" can easily fall prey to cultural assumptions.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Anthology</span>:&nbsp;<em>Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation</em> (2010)&nbsp;by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman</strong></p>
<p>Since Kate Bornstein smashed through the binary with <em>Gender Outlaw</em> in 1995, the self-proclaimed "queer and pleasant danger" has teamed up with S. Bear Bergman and invited other gender-benders on the margins to share their stories. Also, be sure to check out Bornstein's memoir, <em>A Queer and Pleasant Danger</em>, which hit bookstore shelves earlier this week.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Children's Lit</span>:&nbsp;<em>Be Who You Are </em>(2011)&nbsp;by Jennifer Carr</strong></p>
<p>Carr's heartwarming storybook follows a male-assigned child who tells her parents she feels like a girl inside. Her parents tell her to "be who you are," so Nick grows out her hair, puts on her favorite dress, and changes her name to "Hope." Check out my <a href="/post/end-of-gender-transgender-kids-books-feminism-parenting">previous blog post</a> to add gender-nonconforming children's books to your reading list.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Read It Again</span>:&nbsp;<em>Stone Butch Blues </em>(1993)&nbsp;by Leslie Feinberg</strong></p>
<p>Feinberg captures the personal side of political history, chronicling major events in queer history like the Stonewall Riots alongside labor movements of the '60s. According to a recent announcement on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/leslie.feinberg.tgwarrior?ref=ts">the author's Facebook page</a>, the 20th anniversary edition of <em>Stone Butch Blues </em>will be dedicated to <a href="http://www.transadvocate.com/have-you-heard-about-cece-mcdonald.htm">Cece McDonald</a>.</p>
<p>Feel free to add your own genderpocalypse reading suggestions in the comments section!</p>
<p><strong>Previously:</strong> <a href="/post/what-would-you-do-transphobia-chaz-bono-media" target="_blank">Bringin' Out the Bono</a>, <a href="/post/end-of-gender-hard-wired-debate-biology-sex-science-feminism" target="_blank">"Hard-Wired" Debate is Hard to Swallow</a></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/end-of-gender-reading-list-for-the-genderpocalypse-books-feminism#commentsbookschildren's booksliteraturereadingBooksFri, 04 May 2012 20:22:43 +0000Malic White16652 at http://bitchmagazine.orgFertile Ground: Children's Book Review: The Last Wild Witchhttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/fertile-ground-childrens-book-review-the-last-wild-witch-ecofeminism
<p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7101/6928011584_46a06d34c6.jpg" alt="cover of the last wild witch, which features an illustration of a dark-skinned woman with white hair mixing something in a cauldron. She is surrounded by plants" width="269" height="345" align="left" hspace="10" />I really love children's books. One of my favorite parts of parenting is getting to read books to my son. Kids' books make me happy. When I'm feeling all gloom-and-doom from reading Chris Hedges' <em>Empire of Illusion</em> or Jared Diamond's <em>Collapse</em> (both wonderful and highly recommended books, by the way), I can have my son sit down in my lap and feel better reading him Dr. Seuss's <em>Mr. Brown Can Moo</em>, Ezra Jack Keats' <em>One Red Sun</em>, or any of Amy Wilson Sanger's books about ethnic food (she uses cut-outs of paper and cloth to make the pictures of food, which make me both hungry and happy). OK, so my son is only at board-book level, but I think once he hits two and beyond, we may be able to delve into meatier, actual-paper books. </p>
<p>One of these longer, made-of-easy-to-rip-paper books that I am excited to read to him is Starhawk's <em>The Last Wild Witch</em>. When I found out that Starhawk, famed Earth Activist, spiritual feminist, Witch and permaculturist, had written a children's book, I bought it before I knew I was ever going to be pregnant. The pictures, done by artist Lindy Kehoe, are beautiful paintings. The story centers on an herbalist (or witch), and introduces children to a woman healer making healing decoctions with herbs, emphasizing how important it is to keep wilderness, healthy plants, and wild spirits within alive, as well as being appreciative of the women (and men) who take care of the natural world. The herbalist witch in the book knows the natural world intimately, and knows how to respectfully and ethically use plants to make strong teas, brews and "soups." She not only uses the natural world, she is part of it, intertwined seamlessly in its tree branches, helping give health to it just as it gives it back to her.</p>
<p>The one letdown of the book is its lack of class diversity. While I appreciate the whimsical using of different colors for the characters' skin (the child characters of Janey Green and Billy Blue have, yes, green and blue skin), rainbow-colored skin does not a diverse book make. The book starts out with "a perfect town," with each family living in same-size, stand-alone homes. (Really, no one can live in an apartment complex?) I only wish Starhawk could have thrown in a few more relatable tidbits for those that don't live in a small town or suburb, where the idea of scrunched-together buildings and apartments resting on top of convenience stores is not unheard of. Writing a children's book like this is so important to teach kids about<a href="/post/fertile-ground-where-the-girls-are-not-gender-outdoor-play-feminism-nature"> getting outside</a>, away from their TVs, appreciating plants, and encouraging them to take part in the natural world, no matter where it may be or how it may look. But not incorporating any different class or lifestyle situations just isolates the cause, speaking to only one sector, making it tough for some kids to apply it to their own lives—and that can't be fixed by painting someone purple.</p>
<p>However, I would still highly recommend this book, if not to own, than to get for your local library. It's helpful in its encouragement of outdoor play and nature appreciation, and what's not to love about paintings of children dancing with rabbits and skunks? I also recommend it in order to introduce the de-stigmatization of the word "witch." The central character is not called a witch in a derogatory way—a rarity for children's lit. Most children's books with the word "witch" in the title will show you a black cap-wearing, sneering, broomstick-riding old woman, and many times with a Halloween theme. This evil-old-woman-in-black trope is incredibly offensive, especially <a href="/post/fertile-ground-a-witchs-history-lesson-ecofeminism">in the light of history's witch burnings</a>, and not particularly helpful in teaching children what it is to be a part of a just, non-discriminatory society. In this book, the witch is a woman making medicine from plants, and her importance is evident. She has many things to show and teach these children. As for making this book more relatable to all kids instead of just some—well, until they learn to read, you can do what I do: Make up some of the words as you go along.</p>
<p><strong>Previously:</strong> <a href="/post/fertile-ground-a-witchs-history-lesson-ecofeminism"target="_blank">A Witch's History Lesson</a>, <a href="/post/fertile-ground-women-feminism-food-farming-femivore-eco"target="_blank">Farming for Feminism</a></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/fertile-ground-childrens-book-review-the-last-wild-witch-ecofeminism#commentschildren's bookseco-fableecofeminismherbalistmNature Deficit Disorderprogressive children's literatureStarhawkBooksFri, 13 Apr 2012 19:46:11 +0000Alison Parker16300 at http://bitchmagazine.orgEnd of Gender: Not Your Mother's Storybookshttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/end-of-gender-transgender-kids-books-feminism-parenting
<p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/6922451958_abcb00efbb.jpg" alt="The cover of Be Who You Are depicts a &quot;boy&quot; looking in the mirror at herself as a girl." width="300" height="300" align="left" />
</p><p>In 2008, Marcus Ewert's storybook, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/10-000-Dresses-Marcus-Ewert/dp/1583228500/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334170255&amp;sr=8-1">10,000 Dresses</a></em>, offered transgender children their very own fairy tale. The book's protagonist, Bailey, dreams of wearing a crystal gown. Bailey's family insists that boys don't wear dresses, but when Bailey befriends a neighbor with a sewing machine, she makes a dress that fits the girl she knows she is.</p>
<p>Bailey's story of family rejection reflects <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/02/15/peds.2011-1804.abstract">an experience shared by far too many gender-nonconforming children</a>. But as more and more parents think critically about gender, a new wave of children's books depicts families who encourage their kids to be who they are.</p>
<p>When <a href="http://www.jennifercarrbooks.com/">Jennifer Carr</a>'s oldest child confessed that she felt like a girl inside, Carr <a href="http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=31567">searched for a relatable storybook</a> that would help her child feel less alone. She brought home <em>10,000 Dresses</em>, but Carr's children didn't like that Bailey's family rejected her because she was transgender.</p>
<p>Carr needed a book that reflected her child's experience, a story of acceptance and familial support. So Carr wrote that book herself.</p>
<p>In 2011 Carr published <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Who-You-Are-Jennifer-Carr/dp/1452087253/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334170587&amp;sr=8-3">Be Who You Are</a></em>, a storybook about a male-assigned child who tells her parents she feels like a girl inside. Her parents tell her to "be who you are," and Nick grows out her hair, wears dresses, and changes her name to "Hope."</p>
<p>While Carr was struggling to understand her child's gender identity in Chicago, Seattle mom <a href="http://myprincessboy.com/">Cheryl Kilodavis</a> was consulting experts about her son, who had taken to wearing princess costumes. At first, Kilodavis tried to redirect her son's interests, worried that his love for tiaras would make him a target for bullies. But pediatricians and child psychologists put Kilodavis' mind at ease. </p>
<p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6922452022_e44803c1b4_n.jpg" alt="The photo of Kilodavis' son depicts a &quot;princess boy&quot; wearing a purple tutu and a sparkly sequin hat." width="300" height="320" align="right" hspace="10" />"The verdict was: He is a happy and healthy little boy who just likes pretty things and likes to dress up," Kilodavis<a href="http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/behavioral/interview-with-cheryl-kilodavis/"> told <em>Parents magazine</em></a>. "The advice was not to over-encourage it or over-discourage it."</p>
<p>Kilodavis eventually authored <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Princess-Boy-Cheryl-Kilodavis/dp/1442429887/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334170770&amp;sr=8-1">My Princess Boy</a></em>, a picture book about a young boy with an affinity for "girl things." The protagonist, Dyson, isn't transgender, but he certainly defies gender norms. Like Hope's family in <em>Be Who You Are</em>, Dyson's family loves him exactly the way he is.</p>
<p>The book has led some online commentators to <a href="http://chimovement.com/is-this-bad-parenting-cheryl-kilodavis-my-princess-boy/">question Kilodavis' parenting methods</a>, and Kilodavis isn't alone. Jennifer Carr has also faced criticism for parents who disagree with her message.</p>
<p>"I had people saying wolves should raise my children instead of me," Carr <a href="http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=31567">told the <em>Windy City Times</em>.</a></p>
<p>But most of the feedback that Kilodavis and Carr receive has been overwhelmingly positive.</p>
<p>Kilodavis and Carr are filling a void in children's literature that doesn't only help kids—these books are showing parents what supportive families look like, and for that, these radical mothers deserve some serious props.</p>
<p><em>To find one of Cheryl Kilodavis' Acceptance Play Groups in your area, visit <a href="http://myprincessboy.com/acceptanceplay/">her website</a>. Follow Jennifer Carr's story on her blog, <a href="http://todayyouareyou.com/">Today You Are You.</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Previously:</strong> <a href="/post/end-of-gender-qa-with-paige-schilt-parenting-gender-feminism"target="_blank">Paige Schilt on "Genderful" Parenting and Teaching Kids to Think Critically</a>, <a href="/post/end-of-gender-raising-a-ruckus-gender-parenting"target="_blank">Raising a Ruckus</a></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/end-of-gender-transgender-kids-books-feminism-parenting#commentsbookschildrenchildren's bookstransgenderSocial CommentaryFri, 13 Apr 2012 18:25:54 +0000Malic White16266 at http://bitchmagazine.orgFrom the Library: Maggie Goes on a Diet & We Search for Fat-Friendly Children's Bookshttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-the-library-maggie-goes-on-a-diet
<p><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5228211094_6b1de59bb0_o.jpg" alt="White banner with black text that reads Community Lending Library next to an image of glasses resting on top of an open book" /></p>
<p><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6056961389_5e17ccbe13.jpg" hspace="10" align="left" alt="The cover of Maggie Goes on a Diet shows a fat girl standing in front of a mirror looking at an image of a thinner version of herself. In both images of the girl, she is a white girl with red hair up in pigtails. Wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, she is holding a slim dress up to herself in the mirror." />In this week's douchey children's lit news, <a href="http://www.alohapublishers.com/">Aloha Publishers</a> is <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/forum/cd/discussion.html/ref=cm_cd_NOREF/ref=cm_cd_dp_ef_tft_tp?ie=UTF8&amp;cdForum=Fx3R52NTYDH05Z9&amp;asin=0981974554&amp;store=books&amp;cdThread=Tx13Q2MYA5UJMYG">catching heat</a> for a picture book they'll be releasing in October called <a href="http://www.alohapublishers.com/index.php?page=book&amp;id=5"><i>Maggie Goes on a Diet</i></a>, written by Paul Kramer. Here's what <a href="http://www.alohapublishers.com/index.php?page=book&amp;id=5">the publisher tells us of the book's content</a>, which is targeted at young children:</p>
<p><i>Maggie has so much potential that has been hiding under her extra weight. This inspiring story about a 14 year old who goes on a diet and is transformed from being overweight and insecure to a normal sized teen who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.</i> </p>
<p>Where do you begin to unpack the problems with a book like this? Let's start with the cover, which shows a fat Maggie holding a too-small-for-her dress up to herself while she looks into a mirror at a skinnier Maggie. This image perpetuates the idea that hidden inside of every fat person is a skinny person waiting to get out (<a href="/post/sex-and-the-fat-girl-body-love-and-fatness-as-choice">Tasha Fierce writes more on the "skinny girl in a fat body" trope here</a>). The message behind this book is clearly telling young girls that they'll only be happy and "normal" if they're thin, AS IF THEY AREN'T FED THAT MESSAGE OFTEN ENOUGH ALREADY. </p>
<p>Shame on you, Paul Kramer. As someone who also wrote <a href="http://www.alohapublishers.com/index.php?page=book&amp;id=6">a children's book that takes on childhood bullying</a>, you should know that the last thing any child who is already at risk of being teased needs is to be told that they're too fat to be "normal".</p>
<p>This book is unfortunate, and made more so by the fact that there are very few children's books that encourage fat-positivity. When I sat down to write this post, I wanted to create a list of books that counter the message presented in <i>Maggie Goes on a Diet</i> (cause rather than a diet, I'm pretty sure what Maggie could use a healthy dose of children's books that promote fat-positivity). I was sure that there would be plenty fat-friendly kids' books. Boy, was I wrong. Fat-positivity has yet to make a lot of headway in children's literature. Too often, fat characters that manage to make their way into children's books are <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1551313/Authors-making-fat-children-bully-targets.html">demonized</a> or <a href="http://pcasacas.org/SiPC/20.3/wedwick.htm">seen as being lazy and obsessed with food</a>. </p>
<p>Like I said, they're few and far between, but a few do exist. <a href="http://kateharding.net/2008/09/03/fat-positive-childrens-books-part-one/">Rebecca Rabinowitz created a list of fat-positive children's books for Shapely Prose</a> in 2008. Rabinowitz wrote, "I wish the list were longer, but these are, sadly, all the fatpol-friendly children's books I have found so far." Her list includes books like <i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/63-9780316124799-0">Hotter than a Hot Dog</a></i> by Stephanie Calmenson, <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9780060001117-0"><i>Begin at the Beginning</i></a> by Amy Schwartz, and <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780140508192-10"><i>I Like Me</i></a> by Nancy Carlson. Unfortunately, <i>Begin at the Beginning</i>, originally published in 1983, was re-illustrated and published in 2005 with a skinny character in place of the original main character, a fat girl artist. And then there's <i>I Like Me</i>, a super cute book about a young fat girl who likes her "round tummy," but, as Rabinowitz points out, "Carlson's choice to make this protagonist an anthropomorphized pig may trouble seasoned activists or readers who've been called pig-related names. (Reclaiming fat pride is key, but I'm not convinced that we need to reclaim a connection with actual pigs.)" So even the too-short list of books that made Rabinowitz's list are potentially problematic. </p>
<p><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6208/6058557554_f742349de8_m.jpg" hspace="10" align="left" alt="The cover of My Great Big Momma shows a fat woman wearing a red short-sleaved dress. She has blush painted onto her cheeks, and is looking down at her son, who is hugging her leg with a big smile on his face." />But here's a fat-friendly book that was released after Rabinowitz put her list together: <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780888999429-0"><i>My Great Big Mamma</i></a> by Olivier Ka (2009). This book tells the story of a young boy who doesn't like the fact that his big mamma is going on a diet: "She wouldn't be prettier. She'd be thinner, that's all. And less cuddly, and less soft." While there aren't any fat children for fat kids to identify with in this book, the child loves and sees absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that his mother is fat, which counters messages that children are given by reading books like <i>Maggie Goes on a Diet</i>.</p>
<p>Are there fat-friendly children's books that I missed? Please, let me know in the comment's section!</p>
<hr />
<p><i>Speaking of fat acceptance, our <a href="/library-happenings#pdxbookclub">Portland-based book club</a> is going to spend this fall discussing books that take on fatphobia. We'll be reading </i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/63-9780525938910-0">Losing It: America's Obsession With Weight and the Industry that Feeds on It</a><i> by Laura Fraser in September, </i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/7-9780520088832-8">Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body</a><i> by Susan Bordo in October, and in November we'll be discussing </i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/7-9780399534973-0">Lessons From the Fat-O-Sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with Your Body</a><i> by Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby. Find out more about our book clubs <a href="<a href="/library-happenings#pdxbookclub">here</a>.</i></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-the-library-maggie-goes-on-a-diet#commentschildren's booksfatphobiaFrom the LibraryFrom the LibraryFri, 19 Aug 2011 21:18:01 +0000Ashley McAllister12056 at http://bitchmagazine.orgFrom the Library: Happy Children's Book Week!http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-the-library-happy-childrens-book-week
<p><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5228211094_6b1de59bb0_o.jpg" alt="Bitch Library logo: black and white text with an image of book underneath" /></p>
<p>Did you know that it's <a href="http://www.bookweekonline.com/">Children's Book Week</a>? In honor of the occasion, I asked around the office to find out what everyone's favorite children's books are. I've compiled a few of our favorites. Whether we read them as kids or read them to our kids now, these books definitely get our stamp of approval!</p>
<p><b>Andi's Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5691215857_4380e8e3f6_m.jpg" /><br />
<b><i>10,000 Dresses</i> by Marcus Ewert, Illustrated by Rex Ray</b><br />
Andi's a fan of <i>10,000 Dresses</i>, a story about a trans girl named Bailey who wants nothing more than to be accepted for who she is: a girl who wants to wear dresses! Despite the dreams she has about wearing elaborate dresses, her parents tell her she can't wear them because she's a boy. But then she finds acceptance in a dress-loving friend...<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Kjerstin's Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5691446801_4210e09832_m.jpg" /><br />
<b><i>Lift Every Voice and Sing</i> by James Weldon Johnson, Illustrated by Elizabeth Catlett</b><br />
Illustrated with amazing wood block cuts by artist and activist <a href="http://www.theroot.com/views/happy-95th-birthday-elizabeth-catlett">Elizabeth Catlett</a>, this transforms the song "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," to a beautiful book for all ages, literally drawing out the lyrics of this powerful song with scenes from African-American history.<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Ashley's Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5692280080_1021bc50d0_o.gif" /><br />
<b><i>Two Girls Can</i> by Keiko Narahashi</b><br />
This book has a really empowering message for young girls: you are capable and fun, and you can be both of these things with other girls. In addition to writing about how girls can climb trees and share jokes together, Narahashi acknowledges that two girls can "get really, really mad" and then make up and be brave together. On top of the important messages that this book presents, the watercolor illustrations are simply stunning.<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Julie's Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/5691201819_b7976f7e59_m.jpg" /><br />
<b><i>The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes</i> by Dubose Heyward, Illustrated by Marjorie Flack</b><br />
Cottontail, a little country bunny, proves all of the big white bunnies and Jack Rabbits wrong when she grows up to become a mother <i>and</i> gets the job of her dreams: becoming one of the Easter bunnies. Julie says that she loves the way <i>The Country Bunny</i> touches on feminist and class issues.<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Deb's Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5691225851_b7d901635a_m.jpg" /><br />
<b><i>The Adventures of Isabel</i> by Ogden Nash, Illustrated by James Marshall</b><br />
"<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/adventures-of-isabel/">The Adventures of Isabel</a>" is a poem by Ogden Nash that has been adapted into a children's story a few times over the years. Deb read the one illustrated by James Marshall as a kid. She says, "The stories this poem tells, of bears, witches, and sadistic doctors (among others!) should be terrifying, but Isabel is capable in every disaster. As a fellow little girl, she made me feel as if I could do anything."<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Emily's Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5693542531_c5364dde86_m.jpg" /><br />
<b><i>The Wizard of Oz</i> books by L. Frank Baum</b><br />
Emily was a big fan of these books as a child: "I loved the <i>Wizard of Oz</i> series because many of the main characters were young girls—like me! They were interesting, curious and confident. In one of the books, Dorothy meets a snobby princess who steals people's heads, and Dorothy just tells her off and decides to leave...and then, of course, adventure ensues."<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Ashley's Second Pick:</b><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5693508947_b0b21b2151_m.jpg" /><br />
<b><i>Tar Beach</i> Faith Ringgold</b><br />
This was one of my favorite books as a kid. Set in 1939 Harlem, this book follows a girl named Cassie as she imagines herself taking flight from Tar Beach, the rooftop of her family's apartment building. She flies over important landmarks in the city: the George Washington Bridge that her father helped to build, the union building her father isn't allowed to be a part of because he isn't white, and the ice cream factory that she imagines her family being able to eat ice cream from every night. While flying over the city, she imagines erasing social injustices and ensuring that her family has access to the things that have been kept from them. This book provides an opportunity to discuss racial discrimination and talk about what <i>you</i> would change if given the chance. It's also downright beautiful—each page of acrylic nighttime NYC is framed in pictures of Ringgold's own 1988 fabric story quilt.</p>
<p>What children's books are you a fan of? Let us know in the comments!</p>
<p>Do you have a collection of feminist children's books that are no longer in use? Consider donating then to <a href="/library">our library</a>, which is always in need of more children's books! For a list of children's books that we're currently in need of, go <a href="/donate-to-the-library#childrens">here</a>.</p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-the-library-happy-childrens-book-week#commentschildren's booksFrom the LibraryFrom the LibraryFri, 06 May 2011 19:28:44 +0000Ashley McAllister10162 at http://bitchmagazine.org